Paul Murphy St Athan project nothing to do with him!

Q. Did the 'Wales Office' not have to approve the St Athan PFI?

Paul Murphy : Written Answers - Wales: Departmental Private Finance Initiative (3 Mar 2008)
The Wales Office has not initiated or approved any private finance initiative projects in the last threeyears.

A. Its not a Welsh PFI. Remember that MC3 package 1 solution was based around Bordon and Cosford and Portsmouth. It was instigated by Mod with Ministerial backing. However the Welsh politicians did help Metrix win the bid by hard lobbying and the WDA provided human resources to METRIX.

Not in our NAME!

BBC NEWS | Wales | Wales bid for UK military academy
Politicians have been in London to make the case for St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan as the location for a new pan-forces military academy. ...not in my name!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4825632.stm

Same old lies....5,500 jobs ...no way

Speaking at the launch of the bid by Metrix in London on Monday, economic development minister Andrew Davies said the Welsh Assembly Government was "fully supportive".
The creation of 5,500 jobs and with 10,000 trainees being based at the site are estimated to be worth around £58m per year to the area

Even John Smith of pork barel fame and Metrix lacky doesn't agree with those figures.

John Smith MP in the House of commons on Thursday 28th Feb

Metrix has used the most conservative calculations to show that it will create at least 1,500 jobs in the wider community of my constituency of Vale of Glamorgan and south Wales generally.

Not so many jobs then...John Smith?

I notice that the job figures are going down.. ...down...down...John Smith MP paid for 4 newspaper pages to be published (funded by his parliamentary communications allowance) in the Glamorgan Gem on the 31st Jan 2008 proclaiming that there was to be 5,500 jobs....and has been saying this time and time again since or before Jan 2007. Now it is 3,000 jobs ...maybe ...and we are to believe Metrix???
Will he now apologise for misleading the people of Wales and in his constituency? Will he pay to publish a new more accurate account of the number of jobs available?? Now John Smith MP says we must be careful?....a little late for that noww that the welsh people have been repeatedly told that there will be 5,000 + jobs and that is the basis for ALL the politicians backing it. Time to ask some questions ...the people of Wales deserve better.

John Smith MP in the House of commons on Thursday 28th Feb says there are only 3,000 jobs...

"However, I shall give the revised figures. There will be roughly just over 1,000 trainers' jobs—in training design and general training provision—just over 1,000 support jobs for training on the site; and 1,000 full-time military jobs on the site. That is approximately—we must be careful—3,000 jobs.

Metrix has used the most conservative calculations to show that it will create at least 1,500 jobs in the wider community of my constituency of Vale of Glamorgan and south Wales generally. Metrix uses a multiplier of 0.5. That means that every new military job—uniform or civilian—that comes to St. Athan will create half a job in the community. The company therefore estimates 1,500 jobs and a total of 4,500. That is down from the original total of 5,500 but I stress that the estimate is conservative. The usual multiplier for military bases that move into an area and provide work is between one and a half and three times the number of military jobs.

The number of jobs that we get in Wales depends on us, not Metrix or anybody else. It depends on our preparedness to take up the jobs and the opportunities that come our way as a result of the process. If one read the BBC website on the day of the announcement, one would have believed that we had lost out. The calculation that I explained does not include the training of at least 6,500 military engineers every year at St. Athan. The jobs that that will create are not even factored in. It is a huge opportunity."

Note that Raytheon armsdealers is a key partner of the Metrix consortium - They mislead people in Northern Ireland ....
Raytheon managers have been in collusion with Invest Northern Ireland officials to evade and ignore the policies of Derry City. Representatives of the SDLP and Sinn Fein, have repeatedly said that Raytheon gave them explicit assurances that there would be no arms-related production at the Derry plant. The two parties have explained that it was on the basis of these assurances that they welcomed Raytheon to the north west. It is now clear that Raytheon wasn't telling the truth.

Are we sure they are telling the truth here to the Welsh people???

Contact John Smith MP smithj@parliament.uk

PCS ST Athan Evidence to the WAG Finance Committee

Thurs 21 st Feb 2008 - The Assembly's finance committee is looking as the role of private investment in public services. It is approaching the subject with an open mind and has no agenda, other than to establish whether services remain operational or at risk and whether they are value for money or not.

A response to the Assembly Finance Committee’s Inquiry into Public-Private Partnerships

FIN(3)-04-08 : Agenda

Finance Committee The agendas, papers and transcripts for each meeting of the Committee can be found here.

The Defence Training Academy

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 3 - written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by PCS

Read the whole report here
A recent example of a central government PFI deal affecting Wales is the award to the Metrix Consortium of a £19 billion contract to provide training for the armed forces at St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan. This consists of a programme to:

• Rationalise defence training across the Ministry of Defence (MoD);
• Reduce the number of sites where training is conducted;
• Use a PFI model to build the new training infrastructure to replace the current training and accommodation facilities; and
• Privatise training support and delivery.

It has generally been welcomed in Wales because of the prospect of thousands of jobs coming to St. Athan and the surrounding area. There are, however, some significant question-marks over the project.

The extent of the jobs gain and savings

The Metrix project originally consisted of two separate packages, which together accounted for an estimated total of 4,000 training staff who would have been in scope for transfer to the private sector, and relocation to St. Athan from numerous locations across the country. It was announced recently, however, that 'Package 2’ - covering logistics, security, intelligence, personnel and policing - is no longer considered economical and has been removed from the scope of the project. This accounts for around 2,000 staff and more sites than Package 1 and therefore calls into question the £2 billion savings that the deal was supposed to deliver

Loss of experience

PCS is extremely concerned about the assumption that the staff providing the services within and around facilities should automatically transfer. In discussions with the MoD, PCS has consistently raised concerns over the risk to defence training of instructional and support staff not transferring to the preferred bidder. Recent transfers indicate that between 80% and 90% of staff will not relocate. Whilst the MoD recognises this as a risk, it has not addressed the scenario, nor indeed offered any solutions. Instead the MoD states that such a risk will transfer to the bidder and is therefore not the concern of the department.

The belief that a single training specialist included in the bidding consortium can deliver the same high standard provided by the current training delivery staff is questionable. If large numbers of training staff were to decide against moving to the private sector, as our indicators suggest, we believe it is unlikely that the bidders could replace them with equally experienced instructors. The project therefore raises the spectre of an incalculable skills drain in specialist training.

Lack of accountability

PCS is concerned that the department will not to be able to control the costs of the project. The contract’s length and the fact that the first breakpoint - unprecedentedly - will not be until 15 years into the contract, will almost certainly lead to spiralling costs. Numerous factors could influence training requirements, including future deployments, new equipment and the quality of new recruits. The changing nature of Britain’s defence response will also impact upon the training requirement, and for these changes the private sector will exact a high financial price. A recent NAO report into MoD contracts noted that over 50% of contracts had to be altered due to changes in specification. In a twenty five year contract in an area as fast moving as defence and its associated training requirement, it is obvious that a large number of contract amendments will be made.

Thursday, 21 February 2008

FIN(3)-03-08 : Agenda

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 1 : written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by TUC

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 2 : written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by Unison

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 3 - written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by PCS

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 4 : Written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by NUT Cymru (pdf, 290kb)

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 5 : written evidence submitted to PPP Inquiry by WLGA (pdf, 116kb)

FIN(3)-03-08 : Paper 6 : Analysis of written evidence received for PPP Inquiry (pdf, 91.7kb)

PCS expose blatent job number lies

PCS met with Jill Evans MEP...The purpose of the meeting was to highlight the blatant distortion being expressed by a number of Welsh MPs as to the number of new jobs being created in south Wales as part of this multi billion pounds private finance deal.
Activists explained that the thousands of new high skill jobs promised by Welsh MPs were a fallacy because existing civil servants were already employed in them. This means that only low paid and low skilled jobs would be on offer.

As part of the programme, some 1,100 civil servants have been identified as being likely to be transferred across to a private consortium called Metrix. Yet the Welsh Assembly had frequently gone on record as stating that somewhere in the region of 6,000 new jobs were being created.

http://www.pcs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=915899

Jane Hutt visit to MOD Shrivenham in May and who paid for that trip?

Standing up for the Vale and for Wales

Jane Hutt sells out to Metrix

If you asked me what I have been doing for the past three weeks since the Election on May 3^rd, I would say that I have been pursuing the three commitments I made on that night: to serve the people of the Vale of Glamorgan to the best of my ability, to promote the re-generation of Barry to make the town a place we can be proud of and to secure the maximum benefits of the Defence Training Academy for St Athan, the Vale and the wider region of south east Wales...

Moving on to the Defence Training Academy in St Athan, I was pleased to join a St Athan Community Council partnership visit to MOD Shrivenham recently, to introduce the local community and town councils of St Athan, Llanmaes and Llantwit Major to the staff and facilities of the tri-service Defence Training College.

With Welsh Assembly Government officials from the DTA project team, Vale Council planning and transport officials and Cabinet Member, Cllr Chris Williams, local interests and partners were well represented on this visit.

In addition, Mike Hayle, the Chief Executive of Metrix joined us in Shrivenham to contribute to the wide-ranging discussions about the time-scales, impacts, issues and opportunities that this £15bn project offers to the Vale and to Wales. I was able to reassure the group of the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to exploring transport options for improving access to the St Athan development including road and rail.

This visit to Shrivenham provided us with the opportunity to view a top class tri-service Training College designed by the same architect employed by Metrix for St Athan. I look forward to the next visit by Metrix to meeting in June with the town and community councils, Vale Council and I shall be chairing those meetings as the start of this ongoing process of close consultation throughout this multi million project from which we must derive maximum benefit.

.. important principles that have guided me throughout my life in politics – seeking to build trust with integrity and good faith, backed by openness and a determination to seek the common good....twaddle and you embrace Metrix with RAYTHEON AND THING THAT IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE OF WALES???

I hope this 'TOP CLASS' (Jane where did you get that idea from?) tri-service training college has improved since its last inspection?

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE

In 2005, the College will become the United Kingdom ’s Tri-Service Sixth ...... (The Royal Military College of Science), which is located at Shrivenham. ...

Metrix plan wins as jobs come to St Athan - Cardiff News - News ...

He said: "A detailed evaluation process of bids from consortium Metrix has ... Meanwhile, Jane Hutt, AM for the Vale, was throwing a party for other AMs, ...
icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/.../2007/01/17/

Is St Athan Project affordable? South Wales Helicopter Fleet to be relocated to St Athan

Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru The National Assembly for Wales

Cofnod y Trafodion The Record of Proceedings

Dydd Mawrth, 13 Tachwedd 2007 Tuesday, 13 November 2007

The Record (PDF 477, kb). Pa drafodaethau mae Llywodraeth y Cynulliad yn eu cynnal gyda Llywodraeth San Steffan i sicrhau y cyflawnir Metrix 2 fel y gall safle Sain Tathan ddarparu'r academi hyfforddi Priorities in South Wales Central Q5 Andrew R.T. Davies: Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Assembly Government's priorities in South Wales Central? We are pleased that it is getting off the ground, although there will obviously be an enormous amount of legal negotiations before construction starts, probably in about 15 months. We continue to be confident about the delivery of all the necessary infrastructure.

(Don't you need planning permission first? Don't you need to consult with local residents?)

Category: Business Date: 13/11/2007

Andrew R.T. Davies: I wish to draw your

attention to the Metrix development. At the time of its announcement, all partner
organisations were due a great deal of credit for delivering the Metrix 1 project. However,
there is great concern in my constituency about the status of the Metrix 2 project and
its financial affordability

Datganiad a Chyhoeddiad Busnes
Business Statement and Announcement

The Record. The Record. Credwn ei bod yn anymarferol ailagor y gronfa datblygu swyddfeydd post nes y bydd yn glir sut y mae Swyddfa’r Post yn mynd i ddelio â phleon, fel yr un a wnaeth Christine Chapman yn gynharach dros Benderyn, sy’n dweud bod rhyw swyddfa bost neu’i gilydd yn achos arbennig oherwydd y bydd ei chau yn gadael cymuned wedi’i hynysu’n ormodol, am fod gormod o bellter i’r swyddfa bost nesaf, neu am ei bod mewn cymuned arbennig o anodd neu ddifreintiedig neu ar ben rhiw serth. Y Prif Weinidog: Ymysg ein blaenoriaethau mae rhoi cychwyn ar brosiect Metrix yn yr Asiantaeth Atgyweirio Awyrennau Amddiffyn yn Sain Tathan, sicrhau cwblhad trafodaethau llwyddiannus ar gam 2 yr ysbyty plant, agor y drydedd lôn ar yr M4 o Coryton i Gas-bach, a’r rhaglen welliannau sylweddol ar wasanaethau rheilffyrdd y Cymoedd. Equally, given the tightness of the budget, irrespective of Metrix 2 arriving, is the Welsh Assembly Government able to deliver the infrastructure improvements that such a large development will demand, and which will benefit the residents of the Vale of Glamorgan?

Andrew R.T. Davies: I seek a written statement from the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport on the land bank that the Assembly Government intends to build around the St Athan development? Many are aware of the plans regarding the Matrix development, but there is also the Aerospace Wales park. I understand that there is now a proposal for the South Wales Police helicopter fleet to be relocated to the St Athan area. There is great concern regarding what the Assembly Government is to achieve in that area in addition to what is currently being proposed. I seek a written statement on the land bank and the timeframe for the proposals to be implemented

Category: Business Date: 20/11/2007

Derek Twiggg ministerial statement

Written Ministerial Statements — Defence: Defence Training (25 Oct 2007)

Derek Twigg (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence) Hansard source
This statement updates the House on the Defence Training Rationalisation Programme following the announcement made on 17 January 2007, Official Report, column 787-89.
We continue to make progress on package 1, which aims to deliver training for Engineering and Communications and Information Systems. We have now let a risk reduction contract with Metrix which seeks to increase confidence in our ability to amend training courses quickly and efficiently over the life of the main contract in response to changes in training needs. It is anticipated that we will be in a position to commit to the final developmental phase of the project in the spring of next year with a view to signing the main contract within a further year. Construction at the St. Athan site would then start in 2009, with the aim of completing the final phase by 2013.

The work to explore possible synergies and economies of scale across the programme as a whole has concluded that there are insufficient efficiencies to move forward on this basis. We therefore continue to consider a range of options for package 2, which aims to provide training for Logistics and Personnel Administration, Police and Guarding, Security, Languages, Intelligence and Photography. These options vary from adaptations to Metrix' original PFI proposals through to a full conventional procurement. The work to develop an affordable project will continue to focus on how best to improve our accommodation and training facilities, and meet our commitments following the review by Nicholas Blake QC to improve the support, welfare and wellbeing of our trainees.

We continue to manage the implications for our people sensitively and in full consultation with trades unions and staff. For package 1, our civilian staff in scope will continue to be required to transfer to the new partner, although no moves will take place before 2011. For package 2, training will continue to be delivered at the package 2 sites under current arrangements for at least the foreseeable future. We now plan to take forward more detailed negotiations with the Metrix consortium to press ahead with package 1. The work on package 2 will be conducted in parallel and a further update on both packages will be provided next year.

Nicholas Bourne AM Tory leader in Wales

Nicholas Bourne AM "leading the Welsh Tories"



CONSORTIUM



"We have given it our backing and support"